Interview - Wayne Matlock - King Of Baja

Among the most important choices a team has to make is the machine they'll be contesting; in this case, they chose to contest Honda's new IRS 700XX as opposed to a TRX450R. When asked about the choice Matlock was clear: "I saw an ultra-dependable, smooth, fast machine that would excel in long-distance endurance races." As for the IRS, "It took some time getting used to turning it because of the traction and body roll, but within a couple riding sessions I was very comfortable with it." Miller was a bit more passionate about the IRS: "Once you get used to it, there's stuff that I can go through that I could never go through with a straight axle. It [the IRS] corners really, really well. You can drive through corners way faster because both rear tires stay on the ground. It works great because you can set up for turns way earlier."

What was the standout feature that allowed the 700XX to be pushed at that pace for 1000 miles, and more importantly how would it fare on the East Coast? "The reliability of the 700cc motor and the smoothness of the IRS are what stand out the most," Wayne says. "It's better suited for desert racing than any other ATV out there. As for GNCCs, I think it would work really well riding across all the tree roots and rocks with the IRS."

The historic win is more significant than most would think. For Goodman and Miller, it made all of the previous attempts and subsequent failures a little easier to swallow. For Wes in particular the opportunity to silence the critics hasn't been wasted. "I'm stoked, I held up my end of the deal. For me, it was really cool because people don't even realize I ride, they think I just do videos." With the bad luck behind him, and the Holy Grail of desert racing in their possession, Miller added, "It's by far the biggest win of my career, and I've been trying to get it for so long."

"This was my seventh time competing at Baja [for the 1000], and it's my first win," Goodman savored. "Outside of my EDT championship [2008], it [the Baja 1000 win] was probably the most important thing I've done in my [ATV racing] career, and that's just because EDT is kind of my thing and what I've always raced, but the Baja win is special."

In typical Matlock fashion, dwelling on previous accomplishments isn't nearly as important as planning for the future. "This year's Baja 1000 stands out the most for me. Previous to this year, our team has had a bit of a dry spell in Baja due to some really bad luck. This Baja 1000 win was our third in a row down in Baja and sealed the deal for the championship. In 2009, we will now be able to run the No. 1 plate on the front of our quad with pride." When asked if that quad would once again be red, Wayne's response was, "It has not been released yet, but yes, I will continue to race for Honda in 2009. Fortunately, my 2009 racing plans have not been affected due to the current economic state. This year, I put a lot of effort into advertisement exposure, and my sponsors have showed their appreciation by stepping up my program for '09." Being the consummate professional Matlock quickly added, "I would just like to thank my wife Kristen for all of her hard work, the rest of my family, my partners Harold Goodman, Wes Miller and Marc Spaeth, and our 2008 sponsors: American Honda, Precision Concepts, Alba Action Sports, Maxxis, Elka, HMF Exhaust, Laeger's, Moose, IMS-Roll, Pro Honda Oil, IMS, Douglas Wheels, Tire Balls, Quad Tech, PRM-ATV.com, Baja Designs, Scotts Goggles, Division Four, One Industries, D.I.D Chains, Motion Pro, Tag Bars and Alpinestars!"

If there's one constant in the desert, it's that nothing is a sure thing and just about anything can happen. While Team Matlock may possess the talent, speed and experience to repeat in '09, they're not hedging their bets just yet.

We couldn't let Matlock off the hook without asking the obvious: Wayne, so who is faster: you or your dad? "That is a tough question, because I've never ridden quads with him. He has always been on a motorcycle while I was on a quad. As far as when I became faster than him on a motorcycle, it was probably about six years ago. He still actually has his shining moments where I can't get around him, at 60 years old."